New Englanders seem to get inordinately excited for Fall every year, and while they claim it’s the foliage and the seasonal Starbucks drinks, I’m pretty convinced it’s all the baking they’re suddenly inspired to do and consume. Mass consumption of sugary, fattening, delicious baked goods isn’t an alien concept to me, even though I hail from San Francisco, the land of health food and hippies. My heritage is largely (no pun intended) German, and if there’s any bit of culture my German-American relatives have retained, it’s their love for two things above all else: (1) beer; and (2) cakes.

Trying to find a from scratch strawberry cake recipe was difficult, finding a vegan recipe was impossible! So after much research I finally dreamed (literally) up a recipe that is truly from scratch, truly vegan, truly easy and most importantly, truly delish! This Strawberry Fields Forever Cake comes out so moist that frosting is definitely optional.

This Vegan Rice Crispy Treat Cupcake recipe is the first thing I made after ordering Dandies Vegan Marshmallows from Chicago Soy Dairy. I feel like a kid again with these gluten-free treats. Vegan baking doesn't get much easier than melting Vegan Butter, marshmallows, adding vanilla extract then mixing in puffed rice. Making the vegan ganache is slightly more involved but still simple. Be sure to make these as close to your eating occasion as possible because Vegan Rice Crispy Treats love to dry out. If you need to make them a day or so beforehand, keep them in an air-tight container.

{loadposition share}This Classic Vegan White Cake recipe is a simple way to make delectable light and fluffy vegan cakes. It features a touch of apple cider vinegar for a superior crumb and flavor depth and just the right amount of vanilla extract and lemon extract for a rich flavor. Its subtle vanilla notes won't compete for attention if you're interested in adapting it into more complex cakes.

{loadposition share}This Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake recipe takes advantage of barley malt syrup's ability to really drive pumpkin flavors. This vegan cake is then enhanced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and a touch of lemon juice, making it perfect for special occasions during the Fall season.

This Vegan Double Chocolate cake recipe has been specifically designed to deliver maximum chocolate flavor. It utilizes cocoa powder, semi-sweet chocolate and espresso for maximum flavor depth. Some of the flour is offset by cocoa powder, which would normally reduce the overall gluten content of the cake, making it crumbly. Using bread flour which has a higher than normal amount of gluten brings things back in balance, allowing us to pack this vegan cake with as much deep, complex chocolate flavor as possible. Pictured with Rich White Chocolate Frosting and Vegan Double Chocolate Sauce.

When I was little, I noticed my Mom eating cake. When I asked what kind of cake it was she replied, “you won't like it, it has carrots in it”. Later in life I realized that she said that so she could horde the best type of cake in the world all for herself! (Don't think I forgot about that Mom) Just to make sure that doesn't happen again, I designed this vegan carrot cake recipe which features carrot enhancing ingredients such as pineapple, molasses, cinnamon, cardamom with just the right amount of raisins and walnuts for optimal flavor contrast. It's great slathered with Cream Cheese Frosting. I also have a vegan carrot cake recipe for 8 inch cake pans.

This Vegan Carrot Cake recipe is similar to the one here but it's designed for 8 inch cake pans. It's loaded with carrot-forward spices such as pineapple, molasses, cinnamon and cardamom. A touch of raisins and walnuts give this vegan cake a slightly more complex flavor and texture that is sure to please. Try it slathered with Cream Cheese Frosting.

This Vegan Banana Walnut Cake recipe is a staple birthday cake in my family. Nutmeg, walnuts, and a touch of vanilla extract really brings out the banana. It pairs perfectly with Chocolate Frosting or Ganache.

This Vegan Apple Pecan Coffee Cake recipe is great for those afternoon tea sessions with your extremely friendly next door neighbors. No friendly next door neighbors? More for you then. This vegan coffee cake uses pecans, cinnamon, allspice and a touch of non-dairy yogurt to let the apples really shine.